What does capsicum mean?
Capsicum is the botanical name for a genus of flowering plants native to tropical America, belonging to the nightshade family alongside tomatoes, potatoes, and aubergines. In everyday use, however, the word most often refers to the fruit of these plants — what many English speakers simply call a pepper. The genus includes both sweet varieties, such as bell peppers, and pungent ones, from mild banana peppers to fiercely hot habaneros and bird's eye chillies. Usage varies by region: British, Australian, and Indian speakers routinely call the sweet green, red, or yellow vegetable a 'capsicum' in shops and recipes, whereas Americans tend to say 'bell pepper' and reserve 'capsicum' for scientific writing. The heat in hot cultivars comes from capsaicin, a compound concentrated in the placenta surrounding the seeds. Nutritionally rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, capsicums are staples in cuisines worldwide.
nounA genus of tropical American plants of the nightshade family that includes chilli peppers and bell peppers; also, the fruit of such a plant, used as a vegetable or spice.
- The fruit of any plant of the genus Capsicum, eaten as a vegetable — in British and Australian usage this especially means bell peppers (sweet peppers), while in South Asian usage it can refer to any pepper including hot varieties.
- The genus Capsicum itself as a botanical taxon, comprising chilli peppers, bell peppers, and related species.
"The recipe calls for one red capsicum, finely sliced."
"Grill the capsicum until the skin blisters, then peel it off."
"The genus Capsicum includes both fiery habaneros and mild bell peppers."
Countable when referring to individual fruits ('three capsicums'); often uncountable when referring to the vegetable as an ingredient ('a dish containing capsicum').
"She bought two red capsicums at the market."
The word 'capsicum' comes from a Latin word meaning 'box' or 'container' — fitting for a fruit that literally packages one of the world's spiciest chemicals inside a hollow shell.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of capsicum
The name 'capsicum' derives from New Latin, coined by botanists in the 16th century following the introduction of these plants to Europe from the Americas after Columbus's voyages. It appears to derive from Latin 'capsa', meaning a box or container, possibly chosen because the hollow fruit resembles a small case. It is unrelated to 'pepper', a term applied later through association with the pungency of true pepper (Piper nigrum). Related words include 'capsaicin', named directly from the genus in the 19th century.
How capsicum is actually used
Regional variation is significant: in Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, 'capsicum' typically means what Americans call a bell pepper; in India and Pakistan it commonly refers to bell peppers but may extend to other Capsicum fruits. In American English the word is largely confined to botanical or scientific contexts. The plural is usually 'capsicums', though 'capsicum' can function as an uncountable mass noun when referring to the vegetable in general.
Easily confused with capsicum
Black pepper comes from an entirely unrelated plant, Piper nigrum; capsicum refers to New World peppers of the genus Capsicum, which is why black pepper is not a true 'chilli'.
Capsaicin is the pungent chemical compound found in capsicum fruits, not the plant or fruit itself.